Member-only story
Black Tip, White Tip
Grey Tip, Nurse
Twelve weeks have swimmingly drifted by — the first three acclimating to the island’s threats and offerings — ready for bottom time’s promised peace* of paradise.
From self-reliant to relearning buddy-system once more — squirrely, to say the least, or flounder more appropriately — each entry more enjoyable than the next. From junkyard dogs dumping — to transforming reef shelves welcoming sea creatures — the smallest of anemones to the greatest of wing-spanning rays.
Bottom time!
It is like a farmer’s field with various cucumbers lounging on the ocean floor — starfish of all colors — blue, the most vibrant. Beware! Says the cone snail to the stonefish — circling the crown of thorns — three of the most poisonous and surely a trip to the emergency room with little time to spare.
Rumored spotting — anxious to see firsthand — not one shark passing through for a bite or feasting frenzy demand. Black tip, white tip — maybe a grey or nurse shark — not my day to witness their daily routine.
Be cool — here she comes over the top of Coco’s reef — black tip swimming through, looking for a bite to eat — beautiful! Alert my buddies because that is what a good buddy does — shark fin hand at forehead’s center. One buddy remains in Seiza position while drifting along, the other top bound around forty feet depth, catching a glimpse of passing sharks.
One, two, three, four, five — fifth one more curious than the rest — stopping for a turn and staring down — never batting an eye. Whoa, fella! Time to move on — with octo in hand, ready to blow — and so they did.
Shark swim — check! Next up — nightly swim — deep diving into another possibility. I will miss the time spent here — Micronesia at its finest — exploring the deep blue seas.
Four weeks remain.
~Ani Po
Much gratitude to The Dive Tribe Guam! For the time in the water, lessons accompanying bottom time’s adventure, and what to do in the event of a shark encounter. The rumored punching of a shark is not nearly as effective as taking an octo-regulator out and blowing air into the shark’s direction.
